


I'll Be Home For Christmas

by rebelmeg



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Parent Tony Stark, Pepperony - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 13:36:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17142713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelmeg/pseuds/rebelmeg
Summary: Pepper promised she'd be home for Christmas.  Tony asks a certain jolly person to help her get there in time.





	I'll Be Home For Christmas

It was going to be Morgan’s first Christmas, and Tony and Pepper both had been incredibly excited about it in the days leading up to December. She was only three months old, and wouldn’t find anything about Christmas interesting except maybe the twinkle lights, but still. It was something fun to look forward to.

And then life intervened.

Pepper’s voice had been tense and abrupt when she’d called to tell Tony about the business trip she had to take to China the week before Christmas, one that had been pushed back once already but couldn’t be put off anymore. She wouldn’t be getting back until the 24th, and that was if all went well.

They were both thinking it, so Tony gave it voice.

“Cutting it awfully close to Christmas, aren’t they?”

Pepper sighed, and he could hear the frustration in her voice. “They are. But I don’t know what I can do, we already had to push this meeting back once and pushing it back again does not sit well with me.”

Tony felt bad about that. The reason Pepper had pushed the meeting back the first time was because of his impending blackout week, the one he had every December around the date of his parents’ deaths. He told her not to, but she had refused, insisting that she was going to be there every moment possible. He knew he was going to feel both guilty and grateful for that the entire time.

“What if you cut out early on the 20th?” He suggested, trying to find a solution somewhere. “Then you can get a head start on everything for that meeting, and you can leave late the 23rd?”

Her voice was soft now, and it sounded like a hug. “Tony… I don’t want to leave you alone after…”

“Hey, it’ll be okay. It’ll be the end of the week, and I’ll get Rhodey or Happy or Bruce to come over and play, it’ll be fine. Besides, I’m doing a lot better this year than I normally am, right?”

Pepper laughed a little. “Yeah, that’s true. I think you’ve got a certain little lady to thank for that.”

Tony glanced down at the top of Morgan’s head. She was snuggled up in a wrap looped around his torso, fast asleep against her daddy’s chest.

He pressed a gentle kiss to the soft, fuzzy hair on his baby’s head. “Not just one lady.”

“I’ll figure it out, okay? I’ll see if the 20th will work. I’m going to be home for Christmas, Tony. I promise. One way or another, I’ll be home. I’m not going to miss it.”

“I know you won’t, honey. I love you. Now go be CEO, you know I love it when you bust some balls.”

With a sincere “I love you” and the sound of a kiss, Pepper hung up the phone.

Tony rocked back and forth a little as he tucked his phone back in his pocket and rubbed a hand over Morgan’s back. “She’ll make it, baby girl. Your mama always keeps her promises. She’ll be here if she has to fold the world in half to do it.”

\--------------------------------------------

“They’ve grounded all the flights because of the storm. I don’t… I don’t know what to do, Tony.”

He closed his eyes, his heart breaking a little at hearing how near tears Pepper was. “Hey, it’s okay. We’ll figure it out. You’ll make it.”

“It would have to clear up in the next hour for me to make it back by tonight, I don’t think it’s gonna happen, I—”

“Pep, honey, take a breath.”

She did, and then took another, then all but whispered, “Why is everything going wrong?”

The business meetings had gone well, but they had run long, and instead of leaving the previous night, it was Christmas Eve and Pepper was still in China.

“It’ll work out.” Tony tried to soothe her, wishing he could be there to hold her instead of having to settle for a phone call half a world away. “You promised, remember? So it’s gonna be okay.”

“I’m trying, Tony. I’m trying.”

“I know you are. And you’re doing amazing. Just trust me, Pepper. Have some faith.”

“Okay, I will. For you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go threaten an entire airport.”

Tony grinned, imagining the resolute determination on his wife’s face. “Go get ‘em, killer.”

\---------------------------------------

It was nearing midnight, and the only lights on in Tony and Pepper’s residential wing of the Avengers Compound were the twinkle lights on the tree and the ones decorating the fireplace mantle. There were piles of presents under the tree, the stockings were bulging with treats and gifts, and a whole day’s worth of festive food was in the double refrigerator in the kitchen, just waiting to be put in the oven.

Morgan was in Tony’s arms, slightly restless in sleep, and Tony was walking her around and around the living room, whiling away the minutes as he waited anxiously for a phone call. If Pepper had caught her connecting flight, she should have landed by now.

Tony meandered around to the floor-to-ceiling windows that made up one wall of the living room, and looked out onto the rolling lawn covered with snow that stretched out to the trees around the perimeter. He leaned in until he could feel the chill coming off the glass, his body twisted to keep Morgan well away from the cold, and peered up at the thick clouds that were still sending down fat snowflakes as they had been doing for hours. 

“Hey there, Santa,” He murmured, swaying slightly for Morgan without thinking, his breath fogging up the glass. “I’ve got a gorgeous redhead out there that’s trying to get home for Christmas. She promised. Any chance you can stop and give her a ride? We’re waiting for her.”

There was no answer, naturally, and Morgan squirmed in Tony’s arms.

“Okay, baby girl. I know.” Lifting her up to rest against his shoulder, Tony resumed his swaying walk around the room, idly humming snatches of Christmas songs under his breath, wondering if maybe Christmas wishes were more likely to come true than regular wishes.

He wasn’t necessarily listening for anything, but he was still caught by surprise when he heard the beep of the lock at the front door. He hadn’t even heard anyone coming.

His heart in his throat, Tony hurried to the door, and got there just as it slid open.

And there she was. Looking frazzled and exhausted and with a sprinkling of snow on her head, his Pepper was there.

“I made it,” She whispered, looking at him with those blue eyes he loved.

With a laugh of relief, Tony pulled her inside and held her close with his free arm, sighing deeply when he felt her arms come around both him and Morgan. The baby squirmed and fussed, sensing that her mama was finally home, but settled immediately when she was gently sandwiched between both of her parents.

They stood on the welcome rug for several long moments, just holding on to each other and trading kisses.

“I knew you’d make it.” Tony said, nudging at Pepper’s cheek with his nose and grinning.

“I didn’t think I would,” Pepper admitted, stroking her fingers gently through Morgan’s fluffy hair. “I really thought I was gonna miss it.”

“But you didn’t.” Tony kissed her soundly and led the three of them into the living room, settling Pepper in her favorite spot on the couch and handing over Morgan. “Here, give her a cuddle. You hungry?”

“Starving,” Pepper answered, shrugging out of her coat and sighing happily as she leaned against the cushions and cradled Morgan against her chest. “Even good airplane food isn’t that great.”

It was the work of a few minutes to reheat a plate of food, and half an hour later the little family was stretched out on the couch together, Tony leaning against the arm with Pepper between his legs and tucked against his chest, and Morgan in her arms.

“I’m so glad I made it home,” Pepper whispered, her eyes closed and her breathing slowing.

“I am too,” Tony murmured back, toying with the ends of her light red hair. “Just wait til you see the giant stuffed animal I got for you this year.”

He could almost hear her smile, and it made his heart feel all sorts of warm and fuzzy. As his two girls fell asleep in his lap, Tony cast one more sleepy look at their big Christmas tree, then glanced out the window and smiled. 

“Thanks, Santa.”


End file.
